The Real Housewives of Atlanta returned to Bravo for its eleventh season this week and the premiere episode offered plenty of insight into what the women will be dealing with this time around. We caught up with Cynthia Bailey to find out how she feels about the cast’s newest member, Shamari DeVoe and get her take on what Nene Leakes is going through.
Cynthia revealed that her friendship with nene is rock solid and has grown stronger since Gregg Leakes was diagnosed with cancer.
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“I’m doing great with Nene. She and I are super close and our history speaks for itself. We have had our ups and downs and we have overcome a lot. I really made an effort to commit to her this season and take it up a couple notches in the friendship department because I know what she is going through with Gregg,” she told TheGrio during an exclusive interview.
“I know a lot more about what’s going on than some of the other girls. I’m definitely one of her closes confidantes in the group so I’m here for her and Gregg in every way. I have tried to really make her and Gregg a priority and be there to support both of them throughout this process. Gregg is the one with cancer but it affects Nene’s life as well.”
When it comes to Nene’s ongoing shade campaign against Kenya Moore, Cynthia Bailey admits she isn’t sure what the problem is.
“I have no idea what that was about and honestly, I pretty much did not concern myself with it,” she said. “I have my friendship with Kenya and I have my friendship with Nene. Anything they have going on has nothing to do with me. I am so Switzerland.”
Speaking of Kenya Moore, she is now the proud mother of a baby girl, Brooklyn Doris, who was born on Sunday.
“Kenya is doing amazing, She is incredible. I was at her baby shower and I am just over the moon for her right now. I have such a soft spot for her and so much compassion for her becoming a mom because of her history with her own mom,” said Bailey.
“I know Kenya Moore has a lot of love to give Baby Daly. I think it’s just going to be life-changing for her and I feel like this is such a huge blessing for her and her husband, whom I also think is phenomenal.”
According to Cynthia Bailey, plenty of women should be inspired by Moore’s road to happiness.
“We live in a world where people don’t celebrate getting older. I think if you are still trying to have children, the older you get, every birthday is a sad birthday. I think Kenya is very inspirational for a lot of women who may have given up on love or given up on having a baby. It’s really beautiful,” she continued.
“I did miss Kenya filming this season. The good thing is, we are friends outside of the show so she is still in my life. There’s only one Kenya.”
Now that Kenya Moore is off of the hit reality show, there’s space for a new face and it has been filled by the newest woman to join the cast, Shamari DeVoe and Cynthia Bailey is happy for the new blood.
“Shamari is a great girl. At first, I wasn’t really sure how she was going to fit into this group of ladies but I have to say, she brings something a little different to the group which I think is good,” she said. “Some of us have been around for a while and you can only have the same argument so many times. You need some new stuff to argue about and some new people around to bring some new arguments to the table. I feel like Shamari is a wild card addition to the group and she has changed a lot of the conversations.”
Real Housewives of Atlanta airs Sundays at 8/7c on Bravo.